California Biographies
Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)
History By Paul E. Vandor
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
ANTONIO FARETTA.� One of the adopted citizens of Fresno County,
who has forged ahead without making any fuss about it, is Antonio Faretta.
He was born in the Province of Potenza, Italy, October 28, 1875. He attended
the village school until his eighth year, when he went to work, but kept up his
school at night. Upon reaching manhood, he served thirty months in the Italian
army, and returning to his home village in 18^8 was married to Cathrina Masucci,
who had come to America when six years of age, and had returned to Italy. An-
tonio's father had also come to America and was located in Oakland, Cal. Soon
after the son's marriage he and his wife started for America with just enough
money to reach this side, arriving in 1898, and going to Oakland. After work-
ing for wages in Oakland for eighteen months, he came to Fresno County in 1900
and for six months was employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company,
and for the next two and a half years worked on ranches in the county. He then
followed work in various lines until, in 1904, he started a grocery store at 1301
Fresno Street, one of the first to engage in business on the West Side. This
was a small frame building, and his business grew from the start and to such
proportions that finally, in 1913, he erected his present two-story brick building,
which enables him to better supply his still increasing trade. He also owns a
twenty-acre ranch on Shields Avenue, planted to Thompson seedless grapes. He
is a successful, self-made man. He has four children, all born in California:
Mamie, Rosie, Marie Antoinette and Theodore.